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Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.

00:34

Perrysburg, Ohio-based Cutting Edge Countertops acquired the L.E. Smith Company, a leading laminate fabricator based in Bryan, Ohio. The acquisition of the 74-year-old company became official July 1.

By adding laminate and solid surfaces, Cutting Edge Countertops will expand into the commercial market, especially in multi-family projects such as retirement communities, senior living and assisted living facilities, townhouses and apartments.

The National Association of Home Builders reports that demand for multi-family housing increased to 31 percent of all U.S. housing. Multi-family homes provide a more-affordable housing option that can include fitness centers, community pools and other amenities.

Brian Burns, Cutting Edge Countertops’ co-owner and founding partner, says the company is excited by the acquisition. “L.E. Smith appealed to Cutting Edge Countertops as part of our strategic growth plan, similar company values and deep roots in the commercial space,” he said.

Mari Ivan, L.E. Smith CEO, agreed with Burns that the two companies are a perfect fit.

“Our current offerings of laminate and solid surface will be enhanced with hard-surface materials including granite and quartz to further serve our combined customers and their growing needs,” Ivan said.

L.E. Smith was one of the first wholesale distributors of DuPont’s Corian® solid surface in 1972, and added stone products to the company mix in 2017.

The acquisition adds 65 employees to Cutting Edge Countertops’ workforce. L.E. Smith will continue to operate under its current name, as a subsidiary of Cutting Edge.

Cutting Edge Countertops was founded in Perrysburg, Ohio in 2006, and has since expanded its service area with facilities in Indianapolis and Noblesville, Indiana, Wixom, Michigan, and — most-recently — Delaware, Ohio.

02:39

An investigation into possible transshipping of Chinese-made quartz surfaces through Thailand to eight U.S. importers is continuing.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection – the CPB – found what it called “reasonable suspicion that the importers may have engaged in evasion” of high unfair-trade tariffs imposed on quartz surfaces from China.

The federal agency announced last month that it will continue the inquiry, and in the interim restrict completion of the import process on shipments made after the initial allegations. The action comes in response to complaints made by Cambria Company LLC under the federal Enforce and Protection Act, or EAPA. Cambria is a U.S. based quartz surface manufacturer.

One case involves the Thailand-based company Elite Stonetech, and four U.S. importers: U.S. Atlanta International Inc., Global Source & Supply, Inc., Cosmos Granite (east) and Cosmos Granite (West).

CBP’s initial investigation found evidence to doubt that Elite Stonetech manufactured the quartz surfaces based on the timing of the shipments and apparent significant ownership of the company by Chinese quartz manufacturers. The investigators also questioned if the surfaces factory existed.

The other case centered around shipments by Thailand-based Thai Summit Stone Co., Ltd, to four other U.S. importers: Broadcreek Marketing Associates Inc., Dorado Surfaces LLC, Kingka Cabinet, Inc., and Multistone Enterprises Inc. Again, the inquiry centered on shipment timing and ownership by Chinese quartz manufacturers, among other issues.

In both cases, CBP requested a packet of information from each importer. Five of the eight companies complied to varying degrees, but the federal agency ruled that none of them has supplied sufficient information to tie imported materials to manufacturing in Thailand.

CBP’s initial action is to suspend liquidation, or set aside finalization of surfaces received after certain dates specific to each case. That means the importers could be assessed the high Chinese-quartz-surface tariffs for those goods, plus any other penalties and fees after final determinations by the federal agency.

06:16

There was good news for Italy’s stone sector when the Confindustria Marmomacchine trade group met in Milan last month: The Italian stone industry posted a trade surplus of 2.7 billion euros.

Flavio Marabelli, honorary president of the natural stone and stone-technology industry association, told the group that the sector exported 71.2 percent of its annual production in 2023, accounting for the surplus.

Marabelli also noted that the Italian stone sector brought in 45 billion euros in revenue through its more than 3,200 companies and 34,000 employees.

More than 190 delegates, including industry members from across Italy and representatives of the principal government and business organizations attended the assembly.

 The meeting also included a video conference speech by the Minister of Business and the Made in Italy program, Adolfo Urso, as well as a panel discussion on “Growth and Internationalization.”

The assembly also elected Gianluca Pellegrino, director of Basaltina S.r.l. as president of the organization for the 2024-2026 term.

07:33

The International Surface Event — TISE — extended the submission deadline for people interested in providing presentations for next January’s show in Las Vegas. But, if you’re interested, you’ll have to hurry.  Originally set for June 21, the deadline has been extended to this coming Friday, July 12.

The deadline may be new, but the parameters are still the same. If you have knowledge that you’re willing to share with your fellow members of the hard surfaces industry TISE is asking you to respond to its Call for Expertise —  or CFE — for the conference and main stage programming.

TISE is seeking presenters for three different types of programs:

• 45-minute presentations with Q&A for conference room seminars that are high profile and with content that will appeal to all three segments of the industry. Examples may include state-of-the-industry, forecasting, marketing and business, product and color trends, or leadership;
• 20-30-minute presentations in the main stage exhibit hall. Those should be more technical in nature and may be technical presentations or panel discussions on key hot topics, and;
• High profile panel discussions incorporating thought-leaders and think-tankers across the industry to discuss innovations, challenges or perspectives in the surface space. These may be 20-30 minutes or 45 minutes with Q&A.

Again, the new deadline to apply is July 12. TISE 2025 will be held next Jan. 28-30 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

09:10

And, the Jackson, Mississippi-based National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) announces the names of the latest companies to achieve Five-Star Contractor status through the organization.

Fischer Tile & Marble, Sacramento, California, is welcomed as a new Five-Star accredited member in the commercial category. Brekhus Tile & Stone, Denver; Premier Tile & Stone, Gardena, California, and; Christian Brothers Flooring & Interiors, Inc., Lakeside, California, have received renewed Five-Star accreditation. In addition, Premier Tile & Stone is the first company to achieve Large Commercial accreditation.

To earn accreditation, companies must demonstrate a commitment to excellence in craftsmanship, customer service and business practices. This includes adherence to industry standards, ongoing education and training, and a proven track record of successful, high-quality projects.

Says Bart Bettiga, executive director of NTCA, “The Five-Star accreditation is not just a recognition of past achievements but a commitment to ongoing excellence and leadership in the tile industry.”

10:25

Remember, our electronic newsletter, Slab & Sheet, comes out on alternate Wednesdays. For a transcript of this broadcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com.

For Radio Stone Update, I’m K. Schipper, and we’ll see you here again soon.